The Candy-Plug Technique: Technical Aspects and Early Results of a New Endovascular Method for False Lumen Occlusion in Chronic Aortic Dissection

PURPOSE: To describe the technical aspects and early results of the Candy-Plug technique for endovascular false lumen occlusion in chronic aortic dissection.

METHODS: A retrospective single-center study analyzing 18 consecutive patients (mean age 63 years, range 44-76; 16 men) with thoracic false lumen aneurysm in chronic aortic dissection. All patients underwent thoracic endovascular aortic repair with false lumen occlusion using the Candy-Plug technique. Primary endpoints consisted of technical success (successful deployment) and clinical success (no false lumen backflow). Secondary endpoints included 30-day mortality and morbidity as well as aortic remodeling during follow-up.

RESULTS: Technical success was 100%. Additional intraprocedural false lumen embolization at the Candy-Plug level was needed in 1 patient due to persisting false lumen backflow on the final angiogram (clinical success 94%). There were no intraprocedural complications. In the perioperative period, there were 3 minor complications: transient mild spinal cord ischemia, cervical hematoma after carotid-subclavian bypass, and a common femoral artery pseudoaneurysm. No deaths or reinterventions occurred. Complete distal false lumen occlusion was present on postoperative computed tomography in 15 patients, while 3 had minor contrast enhancement in the distal false lumen. Over a mean 9-month follow-up (range 0-26), 1 patient died due to rupture. Follow-up >6 months was available in 10 patients (mean 14.7 months, range 7-26): 7 patients showed aortic remodeling, while aneurysm size was stable in 3 patients.

CONCLUSION: The Candy-Plug technique is a feasible endovascular method to achieve false lumen occlusion and aortic remodeling in chronic aortic dissection. It is associated with low morbidity and mortality due to its minimal invasiveness.